John b



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. WVICKERSHAM, OF NEW YORK, N., Y.

HAT-STAND.

Specication of Letters Patent No. 17,461, dated June 2, 1857.

To all whom if, may concern? Be it known that I, JOHN B. IVICKER- sHAM, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented, made, and applied to use a certain new and useful Improvement in Stands for Hats, Coats, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure l, is a perspective view of my hatstand complete, and Fig. 2, is a vertical section through the tie rods and hooks of said stand.

Similar marks of reference indicate cor? responding parts.

In the construction of metallic hat stands it has heretofore been usual to form the same with a vertical ornamental back from which hooks project, formed on horizontal screws that enter through said back and are at tached by a nut. This style of hat stand although often highly ornamental and costly has considerable inconveniences. In the first place the weight of coats, &c., on the hooks has a leverage on the back tending to break the same, hence said backs unless strong and heavy often break. Second, the screws and nuts at the back very often injure the wall, and the paint of walls is also often discolored by the exclusion of light by the metallic back against said wall. Third, said stands spring twist and shake about under the weight of articles placed on them. Fourth, the hooks unless screwed up very tight, at the risk ot the screw thread, often turn on their screw and hanging down give constant trouble and inconvenience to those using the saine attaching hooks to a series of horizontal terraces, connected by wrought iron rods, in such a manner that the hooks can be turned around horizontally on the vertical rods, as they rest on the terraces, so as to allow the different ranges of coats to hang clear of each other: And the stand is iirm and steady, and will not injure the wall, and at the same time the stand is highly ornamental.

In the drawing a hatstand is shown with live terraces but the number may be increased or diminished according to the size of stand.

a, is the base or bottom terrace, formed as a pan for drippings from umbrellas. Z1, b, are vertical tie rods sustaining the second terrace c, and the rods b, b, o, are to be provided with cast metal caps sitting under the terrace c, or they may pass through ornamental brass tubes or similar device so that the end of the said rods can be secured by nuts (d, d, cZ,) formed in any suitable ornamental style.

e, is a wire for supporting umbrellas canes &c.

f, f, f, are series of tie rods supporting and connecting the upper terraces g, It, and z', and over the terrace z', a suitable ornament (7c) may be attached, and a glass may be hung between the terraces L and i, if desired.

The peculiar point of my invention relates to the manner of connecting the terraces together by the vertical wrought metal rods in connection with the hooks for receiving the coats hats &c. In Fig. 2, the rod f is shown as secured to the lower terrace 7L, by a nut- 1 at its lower end; and the said rod f is to be constructed with the ornamental metallic cap 2, or other shoulder to support the upper terrace z', and thesaid rod passes vertically through the eye of the projecting hook l, and said hook thus rests on the terrace z', and can be turned around into any desired position horizontally to cause the garments on the hooks of one terrace to hang between or clear of those on the terrace above or below: 3, is a nut on the end of the rod f to Vsecure the hook Z, in place and also to connect the hat stand together.

I do not claim wrought iron tie rods connecting plates and castings of iron; neither do I claim furniture formed in the shape of horizontal terraces connected by vertical columns or supports, but

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The manner herein specified of attaching the hooks of hat stands on vertical studs or rods so that said hooks can be turned around horizontally substantially as and for the purposes speciiied.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this twelfth day of March 1857.

JOHN B. WICKERSHAM Witnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, H. S. LINCOLN. 

